Siddheshwari Devi (1907–1976) was a famous Hindustani singer from Varanasi,… Read Full Bio ↴Siddheshwari Devi (1907–1976) was a famous Hindustani singer from Varanasi, India lovingly known as Maa (mother). Born in 1907, she lost her parents early and was brought up by her aunt, the noted singer Rajeshwari Devi.
Initiation into Music
Despite living in a musical household, Siddheshwari came to music by accident. Rajeshwari had arranged musical training for her own daughter, Kamleshwari, while Siddheshwari would do small chores around the house. Once, while the noted sarangi player Siyaji Mishra, was teaching Kamleshwari, she was unable to repeat the tappa that she was being taught. Rajeshwari ran out of patience, and started to cane Kamleshwari, who cried out for help.
The only person to help her was her close friend Siddheshwari, who ran from the kitchen to hug her cousin, and took the thrashing on her own body. At this point, Siddheshwari told her weeping cousin, "It's not so difficult to sing what Siyaji Maharaj was telling you." Siddheshwari then showed her how to sing it, performing the whole tune perfectly, much to the amazement of everyone.
The next day, Siyaji Maharaj came to Rajeshwari, and asked to adopt Siddheshwari into his own family (they were childless). So Siddheshwari moved in with the couple, eventually becoming a great friend and support for them.
This moving incident was very vivid in Siddheshwari's mind, and is detailed in the biography Maa, co-authored by her daughter Savita Devi.[1]
Musical career
Subsequently she also trained under Rajab Ali Khan of Dewas and Inayat Khan of Lahore, but considered her guru mainly Bade Ramdas.
She sang khyal,thumri (her forte) and short classical forms as dadra, chaiti, kajri etc. On several occasions she would sing perform through the night, for example on the overnight boating expeditions of Maharaja of Darbhanga.[1]
In 1989, noted director Mani Kaul has made an award winning documentary, Siddheswari, on her life[2]
She won many accolades during her career, including:
* Padma Shri by the Government of India (1966)
* honorary D.Lit. degree by the Ravindra Bharati Vishwavidyalaya in Kolkata (1973)
* Deshikottam degree by the Vishwa Bharati Vishwavidyalaya.
She died in 1976. Her daughter Savita Devi is also a musician and lives in Delhi.
References
1. ^ a b Maa...Siddheshwari Vibha S. Chauhan and Savita Devi, Roli Books, New Delhi, 2000
2. ^ NFDC Siddheshwari (film), 1989, by Mani Kaul, produced by the National Film Development Corporation (India) - http://www.nfdcindia.com/view_film.php?film_id=190&categories_id=8
External links
* Short biography at Underscore Records - http://www.underscorerecords.com/artists/details.php?art_id=56
* Fragments of her music can be heard from the collection at The Sangeet Kendra, Ahmedabad: [1]
* Picture at Kamat's Potpourri - http://www.kamat.com/indica/music/29403.htm
Initiation into Music
Despite living in a musical household, Siddheshwari came to music by accident. Rajeshwari had arranged musical training for her own daughter, Kamleshwari, while Siddheshwari would do small chores around the house. Once, while the noted sarangi player Siyaji Mishra, was teaching Kamleshwari, she was unable to repeat the tappa that she was being taught. Rajeshwari ran out of patience, and started to cane Kamleshwari, who cried out for help.
The only person to help her was her close friend Siddheshwari, who ran from the kitchen to hug her cousin, and took the thrashing on her own body. At this point, Siddheshwari told her weeping cousin, "It's not so difficult to sing what Siyaji Maharaj was telling you." Siddheshwari then showed her how to sing it, performing the whole tune perfectly, much to the amazement of everyone.
The next day, Siyaji Maharaj came to Rajeshwari, and asked to adopt Siddheshwari into his own family (they were childless). So Siddheshwari moved in with the couple, eventually becoming a great friend and support for them.
This moving incident was very vivid in Siddheshwari's mind, and is detailed in the biography Maa, co-authored by her daughter Savita Devi.[1]
Musical career
Subsequently she also trained under Rajab Ali Khan of Dewas and Inayat Khan of Lahore, but considered her guru mainly Bade Ramdas.
She sang khyal,thumri (her forte) and short classical forms as dadra, chaiti, kajri etc. On several occasions she would sing perform through the night, for example on the overnight boating expeditions of Maharaja of Darbhanga.[1]
In 1989, noted director Mani Kaul has made an award winning documentary, Siddheswari, on her life[2]
She won many accolades during her career, including:
* Padma Shri by the Government of India (1966)
* honorary D.Lit. degree by the Ravindra Bharati Vishwavidyalaya in Kolkata (1973)
* Deshikottam degree by the Vishwa Bharati Vishwavidyalaya.
She died in 1976. Her daughter Savita Devi is also a musician and lives in Delhi.
References
1. ^ a b Maa...Siddheshwari Vibha S. Chauhan and Savita Devi, Roli Books, New Delhi, 2000
2. ^ NFDC Siddheshwari (film), 1989, by Mani Kaul, produced by the National Film Development Corporation (India) - http://www.nfdcindia.com/view_film.php?film_id=190&categories_id=8
External links
* Short biography at Underscore Records - http://www.underscorerecords.com/artists/details.php?art_id=56
* Fragments of her music can be heard from the collection at The Sangeet Kendra, Ahmedabad: [1]
* Picture at Kamat's Potpourri - http://www.kamat.com/indica/music/29403.htm
Dadra
Siddheshwari Devi Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Dadra' by these artists:
Channulal Mishra Tore naina naina re Tore naina naina tore Naina naina re tor…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@debanjalihota4382
This is out of the world ....superlative.....thnq so so much for sharing
@ThePubdg
oh, what song, and what singers, i can hear god's voice in them. thank you so much.
@tanvee1701
I do not have enough words to thank you for uploading this dadra by SiddheswarI Devi.
@acharyajoydeep
Wow... this is so melodious, magical and nostalgic. Ah, those days of yore...
@Milahi1935
Very great singing by sideshwari Devi. It takes decades of practice to reach this perfection.
@kanjilalbaishali
Superlative! what a voice! what a voice ! what a voice!
@gnirao
A great deed by shri Sampak in the service of the listeners
@Tusharbhatia20
bheeji jau main piya bachaye laiho are chamkan/barsanan laagi badariya kanchuki mori beejan laage laaj aavat dekhat naari -[ nar] binati karu chupaye laiho
@kurtgodel100
great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@saqibtahir
Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.